Ever wonder how a famous and/or historical person would deal with the afterlife? John Kendrick Bangs  an 19th Century American author - wrote many books and short stories with just that premise. Cleopatra, Queen Elizabeth, Methusaleh, Gangus Kahn, Napolean  you name the historical icon  most likely they can be found within the adventures of a Bangsian novel.

Bangs also became the editor of Life, Harpers Magazine, and most famously  Puck. These fantasies have been reflected in the writings of Philip Jose Farmers Riverworld and Alice Sebolds The Lovely Bones, among others.

As I researched which books fell under this fantasy subgenre, I looked for various formats  e-books, trade paperbacks, traditional paperbacks, hardcover, and even a few are illustrated. The following are by John Kendrick Bangs: